The Maryland softball team (29-23, 11-6 ACC) used late-inning offensive explosions to pummel North Carolina (37-18, 12-7) in both games to clinch a series win. The Terrapins won game one, 9-4, and scored nine runs in the sixth to win game two 9-1.

Junior Candice Beards led the Terrapins' offensive charges with four hits in her seven at-bats for four RBI. Three of her four hits were doubles.

North Carolina's Constance Orr hit a solo home run over the left field wall in the top of the second to open a 1-0 lead.

The Terrapins tied it up in the bottom of the inning. Lexi Carroll was hit by a pitch to start, then Beards doubled off the left field wall for two on. Bridget Hawvermale drove in Carroll on a bloop single to left center.

The Tar Heels broke the tie with two outs in the top of the fifth. Elisha Elliott and Kristen Brown hit back to back singles to left, then Haleigh Dickey hit a double to left to make it a 2-1 Heels' lead.

Maryland countered with five runs in the bottom of the fifth for a 6-2 lead. McCann singled to left, then Acosta got on with a bunt single for two on and one out. Lindsey Schmeiser hit a slow roller to short to load the bases. Shannon Bustillos singled to center to score McCann, then Acosta scored on an error on the throw from the outfield. Carroll doubled to score Schmeiser and Bustillos. Bria Taylor pinch ran for Carroll and advanced on a deep fly from Beards. Juli Strange singled to left to score Taylor for the fifth run on the inning.

In the top of the sixth, UNC cut into the Terps' lead with two unearned runs. With two on and two outs, pinch hitter Lauren Walker reached third on a Maryland error to make it 6-4.

Pinch hitter Corey Schwartz extended the Terrapins' advantage with a leadoff solo home run down the left field line. Her first career home run put Maryland up by three. Later in the inning, Lindsey Schmeiser was hit by a pitch, then Bustillos and Carroll picked up back to back walks to load the bases with two outs. Beards hit a two-RBI double off the left field wall to make it 9-4.

Sophomore Kaitlyn Schmeiser continued her strong streak in the circle. She allowed just two earned runs off nine hits, no walks and she picked up six strikeouts in her 7.0 innings pitched.

In game two, North Carolina took a one-run lead in the top of the fourth. Aquilla Mateen tripled to center, then scored on a wild pitch.

Maryland's offense pummeled North Carolina with nine runs to end the game in the bottom of the sixth. Lindsey Schmeiser and Carroll both walked for two on with one out, then took second and third off a passed ball. Beards doubled off the right field wall to give Maryland a 2-1 lead and pick up her third and fourth RBI of the day. Strange singled to score Beards and make it a 3-1 game. Hawvermale walked, then Schwartz was hit by a pitch to load the bases. McCann tripled to right center to clear the bases and make it a 6-1 score. Lindsey Schmeiser homered down the left field line to make it 8-1, then Bustillos doubled for another runner on. Carroll drove in the game-ending run with a base hit to left.

In game two, freshman Madison Martin allowed one run off six hits and one walk. She picked up four strikeouts in her 6.0 innings in the circle.

The Terrapins are currently third in the ACC and the Tar Heels are second in the league standings. The Terps have gone 22-9 since March 10 and have won nine of their last 11 games.

Freshman Lindsey Schmeiser has 55 RBI so far this season, which is second in the ACC and in the Maryland record books. The record for most RBI in a season is 56. Sara Acosta has scored 111 runs in her career, which is seventh on Maryland's all-time list. The record is 129, set by Jennifer Potzman in her four-year career (1998-01).

After this weekend's games, the Terrapins will travel to Virginia Tech next weekend for a three-game series to close the regular season.